Madrid, Spain – In a significant development reflecting the growing isolation of the ruling Socialist party within the Spanish parliament, the opposition Popular Party successfully passed a motion calling for a fundamental review of the official position on the Western Sahara issue and a return to the traditional policy of neutrality that Madrid has pursued for decades. The motion also advocates for strengthening political and diplomatic relations with Algeria.
The Spanish Congress approved the motion despite opposition from Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s Socialist party, a move that constitutes a direct and explicit criticism of the foreign policy pursued by Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares, particularly regarding the Western Sahara file and the management of relations with neighboring Maghreb countries.
While the motion is not legally binding on the government, it carries a strong political message about the division within the Spanish political arena regarding the position on Western Sahara and the direction taken by Sanchez in 2022 by supporting Morocco’s so-called “autonomy plan.”
The motion calls on the Sanchez government to restore its historical position based on “active neutrality” in the Western Sahara file, a position adopted by Madrid since its withdrawal from the region in 1975, which is based on non-alignment with any party in the conflict and support for UN efforts to reach a political solution. The proposal also demands support for the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara “MINURSO” in its tasks, which represents a return to the Spanish position supporting international legitimacy in the issue.
During the parliamentary debate that preceded the vote, Deputy José Manuel Velasco of the Popular Party stressed that Spanish-Moroccan relations have always been characterized by complexity and repeated tension, while Algeria has proven to be a “reliable partner” that intersects with vital Spanish interests in several strategic areas. Velasco affirmed that Algeria represents a…
